Disabled access charity Euan’s Guide is encouraging anyone who has ever had to consider disabled access to share their opinions on accessibility in 2022 in their newly launched Access Survey. 

The Euan’s Guide Access Survey supported by Motability Operations Ltd, launched in September and covers topics such as toilets and parking, and whether access is generally better or worse in a world living with COVID. This year, the charity also wants to hear from disabled people on the rising cost of living, as well as their preferred methods of transport.

Euan’s Guide was founded in 2013 by Euan MacDonald MBE, a powerchair user, and his sister Kiki, after Euan was diagnosed with motor neuron disease in 2003. They discovered that a lack of disabled access made every day experiences stressful and they soon learned that other disabled people faced the same challenges. Euan and Kiki established the disabled access review website EuansGuide.com to provide good quality disabled access information, in the hope that this would inspire confidence and remove the fear of the unknown, and break down barriers of exclusion.

The data gathered from the survey is used to inform Euan’s Guide in their mission to improve accessibility, and the insights from the survey help to shape their work. Last year’s survey included the opinions of over 2400 people, who were primarily disabled people (97%) with the remainder a combination of carers, friends and healthcare professionals. This year, the team at Euan’s Guide hopes to break the record number of responses to reach even more people who want to make the world a more accessible place. The access survey, now in its eighth year, is an extension of this mission.

Euan said: “This survey is extremely important in establishing how disabled people, their families, friends and carers feel about disabled access through their own lived experiences. The survey results inform us on lived experiences of disabled access, the disruption of COVID and how it has affected accessibility, and the current views of disabled people. 

“We’re delighted to be working with Motability Operations for a second year to amplify the voices and experiences of disabled people. It’s vital that anyone who has had to consider disabled access makes their voice heard by taking our survey, so we can work together to make a difference.”

Last year’s survey learned the following from respondents:

  • 92% try to find disabled access information before visiting somewhere new
  • 56% avoiding visiting a venue if it has not shared their disabled access information
  • 73% said that they had found information on a venue’s website to be misleading, confusing, or inaccurate 
  • 73% had experienced a disappointing trip or had to change plans due to poor accessibility
  • accessible parking and accessible toilets remain a top priority for disabled visitors with 81% and 80% of respondents respectively reporting that they would help improve confidence when visiting new places.

Have your say in this year’s Euan’s Guide Access Survey supported by Motability Operations Ltd by visiting EuansGuide.com/Access-Survey.

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